Shock proposals for Welsh national theatres
Ten theatre companies may close to fund two Welsh national theatres: see our special feature.
Phil Murphy, director of communications at the Arts Council of England, a man very unpopular with theatre administrators in England, is to leave ACE to take up the post of assistant general secretary of the Labour Party. He will, however, remain in post until a successor is appointed.
Also leaving is one of the longest-servng members of the senior management team, Sue Rose, head of press and public relations. She confirmed last week that she was going.
In the last two months two thirds of ACE's senior management have announced their resignations. Most were appointed by chief executive Peter Hewitt "to lead ACE into the next millenium".
Kate Devey, head of touring, has been appointed acting head of arts and policy after the resignation of Graham Marchant.
The proposed national tour of Sweet Charity, starring Bonnie Langford, has been postponed, possibly until the autumn, because of "a shortage of theatres of the right size". Producer Michael Rose refused to confirm or deny that he had lost a considerable amount of money on the show or that he had had to mortgage property to cover losses.
No artistic director yet for ROH
A report in this week's Stage claims that the appointment of Francesca Zambello to the post of artistic director at the Royal Opera House has been "stalled" because of the insistence of Chief Executive Michael Kaiser that financial considerations should be put before artistic ones.
Bolton Octagon to cut in-house productions
Boton Octagon is to cut its own productions from nine to three a year for the next two years. Touring productions will fill the programming gap. This is part of a £250,000 rescue package negotiated between ACE, North West Arts, Bolton Council and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities.
The funding for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is to rise by just 1% in the coming year, it has been announced. The rise was attacked by First Minister David Trimble who said that the cultural sector had been a "beacon of hope and normaility" during the Troubles.